Founding of CCS

Canadians for a Civil Society is the brainchild of Gurcharan Singh Bhatia, C.M., retired Judge of the Court of Canadian Citizenship and retired Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

Like many great ideas, this one took shape around a kitchen table. Reflecting upon the many worthwhile missions to advance ‎the human condition – culture of peace, human dignity, human rights, peace education – he realised these are all foundations of “a civil society.”

These worthy endeavours are part of a societal evolution, changing attitudes to us in the “other”, sharing our common humanity.

Thus evolved our mission to establish a culture of human rights as a way of life, a vital catalyst of a more civil society.

The chairs around that first kitchen table were occupied by Matt Beckett, Allan Shepard, Jiti Bhatia, Mita Das, Gurcharan Singh Bhatia and Satya Das. This founding group emerged with the ideas that would come to animate our work.

We are delighted you are here, and look forward to your continued engagement and participation.

Do contact us at to shape the journey to a civil society that enables and empowers us all to advance the Common Good.

Canadians for a Civil Society (CCS) is a volunteer organization committed to advancing human dignity, a culture of peace, and the full enjoyment of the human birthright to a life free of fear and free of want: the foundations of a civil society.